There are applications where it is desirable to connect or "short" a pair of contacts of a first connector when that first connector is not mated to a second one, but to disconnect the contacts when the connectors are mated. In low frequency applications, such a switching contact can be used to sense when the connectors are mated. In high frequency applications (usually above 1 MHz) such a switching contact can be used to connect a source of high frequency signals through a load such as a 75 ohm resistor, to ground, to dissipate power constantly generated by the source. For such high frequency applications, it is often desirable to provide a coaxial connector portion to minimize EMI (electromagnetic interference) and losses.
There have been several approaches to the construction of shorting contacts, including shorting contacts for coaxial connectors. However, prior suggestions have involved the construction of a special connector to provide a switch contact, or a conversion of an existing connector where the conversion is difficult to perform. If a selected coaxial contact region of an existing first connector could be readily converted to a switching contact, and a corresponding coaxial contact region of a mating second connector could be readily converted to serve as an actuator for the switching contact, then switching provisions could be readily constructed and/or provided in connectors with several coaxial contact regions.